Rotator cuff tendonitis is a very painful form of tendonitis that presents itself in the shoulder area, particularly in the rotator cuff, and makes the activities of daily life very difficult. Generally, it affects only the major tendon in the rotator cuff, the one that allows us to lift the arm up and over the head and allows us to move the arm laterally.
Repetitive motion injuries are the most common cause for rotator cuff tendonitis. Repeatedly lifting or working with the arm over the head can cause overuse and wear to the rotator cuff area and inflammation will develop. Athletes and construction workers are statistically the most prone to this type of injury.
Beginning as a simple dull ache in the shoulder region, the injury will progress to the point that the pain will radiate down the arm and across the chest and upper back, and eventually the patient will not want to move the arm.
This lack of movement will result in stiffness in the joint that will make it very difficult to move the arm. Rotator cuff treatment like physical therapy will, at this point, be the most effective way to fully restore a full range of motion to the shoulder that has been injured.
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